ABB´s Tmax XT circuit-breakers communicate conveniently via all common bus systems

November 29, 2018

Accurate, proactive, self-organized, team-oriented, with strong communication skills and always ON duty. ABB’s new Tmax XT series of Molded Case circuit-breakers, combine the finest protection that has always characterized ABB’s molded case circuit breakers with the most precise metering and connectivity functionalities, providing designers, installers and end-users exclusive solutions for their daily needs.

Suitable for applications from 160 A to 1,600 A, the Tmax XT offers exceptional breaking capacity for all voltages and applications. Combined with high-precision electronic relays of the smallest sizes, the new series protects equipment investments and ensures uninterrupted operation and high availability.

All sizes have the same logic, the same range of functions and the same intuitive operating display. This results in considerable time savings when installing and reduces installation errors. The simplified installation and commissioning, with settings that can be made via Bluetooth and Ekip communication modules from mobile devices, can reduce the time required by around 30 percent.

Thanks to the advanced trigger and the complete package of Ekip Com modules, Tmax XT offers the possibility of complete network monitoring through perfect integration into SCADA systems. Ekip Com modules are the communication interfaces that connect the trigger directly to the fieldbus or Ethernet network. In this way, the potential of ABB AbilityTM Electrical Distribution Control System (EDCS), an innovative cloud-computing platform designed to monitor, optimize and control the electrical system, can be fully exploited.

Tmax XT with Ekip Com offers the possibility to choose between more than ten communication protocols. Dedicated Com modules can be snapped directly onto the switch, for example for Modbus RTU, Profibus DP and Devicenet, enabling communication via the most common fieldbuses. The Modbus module ensures fast integration of new products into existing systems. Up to 246 devices can be connected to one line of a master/slave architecture at a communication speed of up to 38,400 kilobits per second. Profibus DP is the perfect choice for automation switchgear where fast data exchange is required. The maximum transfer rate is 12 megabits per second in a master/slave or multimaster architecture that connects up to 125 devices.

Solutions are available for connecting circuit-breakers to Ethernet networks that simplify integration into common IT infrastructures. The Modbus TCP/IP communication modules with a transmission rate of up to 100 megabits per second can act as web servers and control data stored in the trip unit directly from a browser.

Applications in the field of electrical energy place special demands on the different types of data communication under operating and fault conditions. In the event of a fault, information on the status of the protection devices must be transmitted very quickly in order to enable the implementation of coordinated reactions. For this purpose, Tmax XT provides the two interface types MMS and GOOSE. By connecting an Ekip com hub module to a trip unit, all data from the switches connected to the communication network can be collected and the network connected to a cloud space managed by ABB.

The Tmax XT molded case circuit-breakers are equipped with display. Thanks to the intuitive interface and menu navigation shared across all the frames, users can set parameters, logics, view running data and the information required to trace the cause of the trip in an easy and intuitive way,

The integrated data logger function records current, voltage and digital events from a programmable trigger event. Thanks to Bluetooth communication and the several communication protocols available, the recorded data can be downloaded with the free Ekip Connect software, available also in the mobile version for smartphone.

The Tmax XT circuit-breakers with Ekip Com architecture enable direct connection to the Internet of Things (IoT) across the entire bandwidth from 40 to 6,300 A, fully integrated and cost effective since there are no external gateways.